FlairJet expands AOC

FlairJet introduced the Phenom 300 into service in January 2011, since
then the company has been flying longer routes to destinations such as Bilbao, Istanbul, even Lapland.  “Passenger reaction has been terrific,”
says David Fletcher, the chief executive and one of seven FlairJet pilots now
type certificated on the aircraft. “The more experience we gain with this new
aircraft the more I am convinced that this aircraft is the one to beat in Europe,” he says.

As the first operator to introduce both Phenom 100
and Phenom 300 to the European marketplace FlairJet has had to overcome a
number of regulatory issues arising from the operation of the first types and
because the aircraft are different types, a multi-fleet flying approval has
been required to get crews qualified on both aircraft. This has been
accomplished along with three remarkably successful UK Civil Aviation Authority
audits.

As FlairJet gets more experience with the Phenom 100
and 300 in Europe, the company is now
attracting regular approaches from clients who are interested in the aircraft
and want to call upon FlairJet’s expertise.  The company is currently
operating a fleet of two Phenom 300s and three Phenom 100s, but it is in
advanced negotiations to add a couple more aircraft to the fleet by the end of
the year. The company is also shortly to offer charter services to a larger
geographical area with an AOC area expansion to include the Middle East,
Africa, the Caucuses and more of Russia.

Mike Chamberlain, ground operations director said that the company has even assisted with seven deliveries
of Embraer Phenoms from Brazil
to Europe.

FlairJet is also planning to position two aircraft at new bases, a Phenom 100 and
300 in Cannes
and the Balearics during the peak summer.

“The charter market is slowly picking up in the UK,” FlairJet
notes.  “I think we are benefiting from situations where charter clients
have trimmed their travel budgets owing to the recession, but having got used
to the ease, time-saving and flexibility of chartering they don’t relish going
back to an airline schedule on short hop routes, so are opting to select
smaller jets instead.  There is also an element of ‘new business’ coming
on to the smaller Phenom 100 entry level jets too.”